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Flight Attendant Confesses Ups And Downs Of Job
An anonymous woman who said she is a 22-year-old flight attendant for a major airline urged Reddit users to ask her anything in an open forum over the weekend. The candid Q&A session turned into a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a flight attendant, including a tell all on the weird things passengers ask for, a discussion on how many people really try to join the mile high club and a confession about the kind of shenanigans that really happen between lonely crew members at outposts. Keep reading to learn more about the ups and downs of the job, including why you should be nice while on board a plane. Just be warned this post is most definitely NSFW (not safe for work).
Q: What is the most crazy request you have been asked by a passenger?
Q: What is the most crazy request you have been asked by a passenger?
A: Crazy? Goodness.
- A bag to spit in. I had to confirm several times the word spit
- A lady with a neck brace "I need soft food I will have rice" (The menu items did not include rice even after explaining she kept ordering things that just didn't exist)
- Hot fried chips
- Nappies
- Ice cream
- My number
- On a Lagos flight a passenger told me he wanted to masturbate. I directed him to the on board toilet.
If it exists a passenger has asked me for it. They ask for EVERYTHING.
Q: What is the best thing about being a flight attendant?
A: Best thing? I feel obvious but new destinations, I get a small taste of EVERYTHING I love it so much, I get to see smell and taste so much. I meet friends all over the world and party like a rockstar everywhere I go because I know I wont be there for long.
Q: What is the pay like? Besides being able to travel all over the world, are there any other benefits, either monetary or otherwise?
Q: What is the pay like? Besides being able to travel all over the world, are there any other benefits, either monetary or otherwise?
A: About 38k US a year, free rent transport and bills, all I pay is internet and taxi. 90% off tickets.
Q: Are there as many people joining the mile high club in the bathroom as television portrays it?
Q: Are there as many people joining the mile high club in the bathroom as television portrays it?
A: Yes people try to join the mile high club. Let me tell you something, those toilets are FILTHY. Absolute FILTH. People shit in the sinks.
Moving on, I caught a lesbian couple in the toilets we had to get three crew to bang open the door and make them come out. She responded with[,] "We were trying to piss[.]"
A crew was fired for getting drunk while she was a passenger flying somewhere and joining a gentleman in the lavatory.
A women had TWO men going at it on a flight from Manchester. Crew opened the door on them and the female tried to assault the crew. When the men went to their connecting flight they were arrested. Not sure what happened to them!
Q: Do people really get bumped to first class if there is a conflict with another passenger?
A: With the question of bumping people yes we move people but generally not for conflict. A month ago on one of my flights economy was full and this gentleman had changed seats several times to accommodate couples, families etc who needed to change seats. He didnt care where he sat and was so gracious. So we moved him to business class. Lesson, be nice!
If you are ill (severely) you will usually be moved to business or first if there aren't many people in those cabins to recuperate and lie down at the discretion of the seniors.
Q: What's something a passenger has done that you've really appreciated, or was just really nice?
A: I've had passengers write comment cards about me, they get given to me via emails from my manager, which is so nice ... i love them[.]
Q: When do you plan on settling down? This job doesn't seem like the type where you can keep a stable relationship.
Q: When do you plan on settling down? This job doesn't seem like the type where you can keep a stable relationship.
A: I know :( I hope it's around 25 ... I am 22 now and I love the job so I think two or so more years before I move back home and find love ... I will never find a stable relationship in the industry, it is unstable. I want a stable relationship but I wont find it here[.]
Q: Since you fly so much, do you happen to have any sexual urges while in a different country? Do you get off to hooking up with passengers or do you go somewhere to get some?
Q: Since you fly so much, do you happen to have any sexual urges while in a different country? Do you get off to hooking up with passengers or do you go somewhere to get some?
A: Yep! I um see friends in outstations. I have had some encounters in Hong Kong and I have a few 'friends' in Dubai. It's really hard and you get really lonely so you look for any guy to meet you after flights. All the crew sleep with each other in outstation. It's a big problem, the cabin crew are desperate to sleep with pilots and senior crew. You have crew call you in the middle of the night in your room, especially pilots!
Q: How long do you stay in each city?
Q: How long do you stay in each city?
A: Usually 24-72 hours[.]
Q: What's your favourite city in the world?
Q: What's your favourite city in the world?
A: I cannot name one but I will try to do it region wise
1) Hong Kong (The most fun)
2) Vienna (Amazing food, people, scenery)
3) Moscow (Fascinating, so closed for so long)
4) Melbourne, Australia (Diverse, charming filled with character)
I find some redeeming quality in every city I visit.
Q: What are your thoughts on flight etiquette (e.g. when it's okay to put your seat all the way back). Is there a classic faux pas we should know about?
Q: What are your thoughts on flight etiquette (e.g. when it's okay to put your seat all the way back). Is there a classic faux pas we should know about?
A: Seat back if your legs are too long and when not eating. During the meal seats up and if you're short, it's not really necessarily. But otherwise seats up for everyone when eating, you can do whatever you want after service.
Q: I'd like to be a flight attendant to see what it's like to travel and interact. Would I have to go through an exorbitant amount of training before I can work?
Q: I'd like to be a flight attendant to see what it's like to travel and interact. Would I have to go through an exorbitant amount of training before I can work?
A: I did 7 weeks! So worth it... I felt so ready. The training is hard but it paid [off] for me[.]
Q: How do you adjust being in the air so often, and with different time zones and all that? When I fly from the US to Singapore, by the time of the end of the trip I want to actually throw up. Air gets so thin, and the airline food is pretty bad even on Singapore Airlines. I literally need to have a can of sprite when flying on long flights next to me once every hour, slowly sipping until the soda is done to keep sane.
Q: How do you adjust being in the air so often, and with different time zones and all that? When I fly from the US to Singapore, by the time of the end of the trip I want to actually throw up. Air gets so thin, and the airline food is pretty bad even on Singapore Airlines. I literally need to have a can of sprite when flying on long flights next to me once every hour, slowly sipping until the soda is done to keep sane.
A: You never really adjust. I just did three middle of the night flights and I can't stay awake in the day, so I have been nocturnal for a week. Some things that I do to keep myself sane is as soon as I get on board I get a bottle of 1.5L water and make myself drink it all. Then I brew a big pot of mint tea after the service and make myself drink that throughout the flight too. Keeping hydrated is valuable to my sanity and mood. We have one trip that is four days long and you have 24 hours in each port but the whole flights are nighttime only. It is TORTURE. Key points 1) Stay hydrated 2) Stay rested (sleep whenever you are tired) 3) Eat smart (this means no business class cheese boards or first class caviar, stick to fresh food only) For me eating right is the hardest, you're so tired you just want to SHOVE chocolate in your mouth. If I follow the above I am totally fine on board. On flights over 10 hours or so we get rest (sleep) in the crew bunks[.]
Q: What airline/flight benefits or perks do you get as a result of your job?
Q: What airline/flight benefits or perks do you get as a result of your job?
A: 90% [Off] Flights
Hotel discounts
Event discounts
Free tickets to events
For more adventures in the sky, be sure to follow our resident flight attendant, Heather Poole, in her "Galley Gossip" column.
Please note: These questions and answers have been edited slightly to fit an interview format.
[Photo credit: Flickr user laszlo-photo]
For more adventures in the sky, be sure to follow our resident flight attendant, Heather Poole, in her "Galley Gossip" column.
Please note: These questions and answers have been edited slightly to fit an interview format.
[Photo credit: Flickr user laszlo-photo]
Filed under: Airlines, News, Airline Reviews
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 3)
Les Dec 4th 2012 8:58PM
Also a tip if you do fly again DO NOT drink coffee or hot tea i know for a fact that on some aircraft, not all but some, the pottable water is disguisting. In fact they found ecloi in the pottable water tank on a jet a few weeks back were i work. While i obviously cannot say were just be safe and realize no airline cleans those tanks the way they are supposed too. They drain is disguisting. I flew in a plane last week that had green stuff growing around the drain water that was served came from. I try not to serve it to people out of i feel bad doing so but i cannot voice that without getting fired so if asked i will make and serve coffee or tea but i NEVER offer those to people or even make coffee unless requested and most of the time if isnt alread made people will choose something else and i sigh relief yet possibly another G.I. bug dogged for some poor unsuspecting customer...
grandpaw Dec 5th 2012 1:01AM
I flew cargo/passenger missions in the USAF in the 50's/60's. Our ground crews would run a very strong disinfectant mist through the vent system just prior to each flight. I have no idea what the stuff was, but it had a very pleasant smell. We seldom had any respiratory problems.
Taz Dec 4th 2012 4:19PM
Maybe you girls are just to mature for the sky of today!
Don C. Dec 4th 2012 5:04PM
As a 30 year airline veteran, I find it troubling that the writers chose to interview a Flight Attendant who, at the age of 22, could barely have a year or 2 under his/her belt. Almost everything in this article is totally inaccurate, at least for the hard-working crews of domestic U. S. carriers. Almost everything this person says, especially about having bills and rent paid, about relationships and crew behavior is the EXACT OPPSITE of reality. Tittaling reading to be sure. But a profound diservice to the truth and to the men and women who maintain a professional demeanor while laboring thru grueling hours of dealing with the public and being afforded minimal time off.
J Wang Dec 4th 2012 6:41PM
Not if you are working for an Asian carrier that forces people to retire when they deemed you are too old. Many Asian carrier will force you to retire once you are pregnant or getting married and it is perfect legal with these discriminatory practices where it is totally illegal in the USA.
Mark M. Dec 6th 2012 8:01AM
This young gal is so full of bull it's not funny. As tempting as one might think it is to 'hook up' it NEVER happens!!! That is an old myth,period. First of all, if she works for a US carrier, she would lose her job. Secondly, if she were even to suggest it, she would be hauled into the office, and her job would be threatened. She would be suspended without pay, pending a thorough investigation.
Flight priveleges hardly exist anymore. Most FA's commute to their base because it is very expensive to live in the cities where they are domiciled. With frequent flyer miles, seldom can an employee ride for free. In fact, occasionally I had to purchase tickets on other carriers to get to work.
Finally, the American flying public is ruder than any international passenger.
This article is insulting to the hard working men and women of the FA profession. NO mention of administering First Aid, or going above and beyond the call of duty to help a person in need.
tully Dec 4th 2012 6:23PM
Obama-care now expects me to pay for this slut's birth control.
She has the morals of an alley cat.
Lea Dec 5th 2012 10:35AM
This is not a US based FA so don't worry whatever country she is in is already paying so you won't have to. This is all complete crap coming from a US air carrier FA. NONE of it rings true here. We start out making 19k a yr and they do not pay for rent or bills like she implies. She has to be an emirates crew member were they still make you retire at 30 etc. the entire article is an insult to american crew members!
Bob Dec 4th 2012 6:36PM
Hooking up with any guy at every destination..? Encounters..? Desperate and lonely? Poor excuse to being a SLUT.
I HIGHLY doubt all flight crew, pilots, co-pilots etc... are quite like you, Ms. Classy.
Lea Dec 4th 2012 9:02PM
I am so glad you realize this is an exception not the norm! This is an embarrassment to all of us non slut FA's out there! Most crew have families & are faithful. This statement is rare and I am upset she just set us back 30 years by the sterotype. Thank you!
J Wang Dec 5th 2012 9:07AM
If you are one of the US flight attendants, you will never get to fly international flights unless you are a speaker (foreign language intrepretor) or have lots of senority 30 years plus or else you will never fly on these long haul flights. It is a very demanding job that require lots of tacts and wisdom. If you really wanted to fly international, you got to work for a foreign carrier in order to get those positions (Middle Eastern Carriers) will generally hire you since they always look for talents abroad.
Winston Steele Dec 4th 2012 6:52PM
Kudos to that Flight Attendant, i relly would like to meet,a flight attendant and to become a member of the famous mile high club.
rockjshock Dec 4th 2012 9:14PM
The easy, breezy, sexual revolution portrayed here was sad. If it's true, the poor dear must have a case of Undiagnosed HIV infection by now. very sad, but some entertaining info to be sure. So I think the poor dear should have HIV testing and know that she has a sexual addiction. good luck.
Angelica Dec 4th 2012 9:32PM
She works for EMIRATES!!!! And she's only 22? It figures!
kty Dec 4th 2012 11:29PM
I don't know who this 22 yr old is. No Jr. F/A makes 38K and has rent paid for them or has the time to "party" the way she speak of. To say that "every" crew member is fooling around and/or gets calls in the middle of the night is no true. Sounds like this F/A does this, thus everyone is doing it. I loved when this F/A states: "I have a friend (with benefits) in Hong Kong and Dubai, and if I get lonely, I just call a friend". Are you kidding me? This F/A puts a bad mark on the rest of us who work hard in establishing a good name while representing a major airline. There is NO way this F/A works on an American airline! I'm ashamed of this F/A and hope I never have to deal with her as she will then get a dose of reality. How dare she give a shine a poor light on hard working (no glamore - as most people believe) flight crews. There is something wrong with this F/A - Such drama and sounds like she is an attention seeker to say the least!
kristen Dec 4th 2012 9:54PM
I have actually thought about becoming a flight attendant. I LOVE to fly and travel and explore new places. Does it ever cross your mind about a crash or loss of fuel or anything like that? My main concern is crashing or something going wrong in the air. Also, how does the Pilot not get tired for a 4 day flight? Does that not bother you? what if he fell asleep up there?
Randy Dec 4th 2012 11:13PM
The most dangerous part of flying somewhere is driving to the airport. Those aircraft are inspected and maintained by highly trained and skilled technicians so frequently it is almost unbelieveable. Most every system has a back-up and sometimes a back-up to the back-up. Evee air.n if an engine shuts down, there is plenty of power from the other ones to keep the plane in the air. I have worked as an aircraft technician for over 22 years.... you are safer flying then driving.
Kristen Dec 5th 2012 1:39AM
But I hear about crashes all the time.
Lea Dec 5th 2012 8:30AM
I am not scared of crashing, on the way to hotel yes, but not flying. I it did happen i know were i am going and it would be fast. Pilots get exhausted and as do fA's . 15 hr duty days meant to be the exception but since we only get paid for half that time and carriers care less about us it has become the norm. Fatigue is a huge concern that is why colgan crashed and management intimidates anyone esp pilots that try to call in fatigued or anyone crew that does. By the end of the 2nd the entire crew is so tired it is insanity.
Larry Vargo Dec 4th 2012 11:04PM
To Les and A&P guy: Right on! I retired from the airlines myself. The air is drawn from the atmosphere the plane is flying through. Although it starts out thin, there are compressors that make it breathable to us in the cabin, hence the term "pressurisation". But it may be low in humidity for some. If water were introduced for "humidification" the moisture could be a major maintenance headache. Back when smoking was allowed onboard, nicotine residue in the system could actually clog up things and cause problems. Some airlines refer to these systems as "life support" and when you think about it that's true. So corrosion problems due to moisture in this or for that matter any mechanism might not be such a hot idea.
So if your sinuses/nasal passages tend to dry out easily (like mine) this can be a problem. I solved that by chewing gum but I'm sure some ass would object to the crew doing this.
The air, however, can be contaminated by your fellow travellers carelessly sneezing, etc. through no fault of the crew. We all know (not any of us of course) of those who won't stay home and get well but instead "spread the wealth".
And don't even get me started about the idiot "sick leave policies" many companies have which can virtually force employees (amongst passengers and crew alike) come to work even if you fell half dead. Welcome to the "new world order, Typhoid Mary".